After Five Years Into Blogging This Is What I Know

Friday, August 8, 2014

August is my blog's bday month and we're turning five this year. Well, I technically wrote my first two posts at the very end of July back in 2009, but I like to say August instead because those first two were just testing the water.

After five years into blogging I've learned I'm not good at the "blogger/model photo shoot" side of things. Which makes sense considering it took me about three years into blogging to even start adding photos to posts. I have one smile and that's all I can give. And I also only have one pose I am comfortable doing and that's crossing my legs and trying desperately to do something with my hands, thank God I have a chambray shirt around my waist in this one.

I'd be interested to know how other bloggers do their "photo shoots." Mine typically take under two minutes to capture and they consist of me fidgeting and twitching and trying to make sure no one else is watching while Chris is behind the camera yelling "stop making that weird face" until I just get frustrated and say "forget it let's go inside."

Did you get it? Here's another photo just to make sure.

One more. This photo is really different than the others, you know because there's sun on my face.

I feel like we all have our own reasons for why we start blogging. Some people say it's because "Everyone was always telling me I should start a blog so I finally did!" That's not my reason, in fact I'd like to know who these people are that are going around telling other people to start blogs. And what are they looking for? What makes someone "blog worthy?" In my opinion if you have a computer you're probably blog worthy.

I'd like to say I started my blog just for myself but I think we all know that's probably a lie. If I wanted to start a blog just for me I would have continued to write in Microsoft Word like I did all through college and let's just call that a computer diary- not a blog. I can't help but think that if you're putting your stuff on the internet, that means you want people to see your stuff.

And I wish I could say I started blogging because I was so inspired by all of the blogs I read by other people, but that would be a lie as well. Up until about 2011 I thought Perez Hilton was the only blogger, because I'm just kind of oblivious like that.

The reality is my blog started out of boredom. I was sitting in my cubicle one day at this awful job I had in college and thought hey I should start a blog right now rather than work. And boom a blog was born. I put zero planning into it, zero thought, and pretty much zero effort into it. I just started writing.

And I never thought that five years later it would be one of the most consistent things in my life. And one of the most enjoyable things either. You can call me a loser for admitting this because I feel like it's the cool thing to act like you hate blogging, but I actually love it.

And I love the opportunities that have come my way because of blogging. I never thought I would be able to get to go to New York fashion week, or the Kentucky Debry, or take a free trip to Paris (insert other fake places I've been because of blogging that might make you jealous)... Okay so technically I didn't get to do any of that stuff, but I know of bloggers who did... But hey, last week I got a free Spinbrush Toothbrush in the mail and I thought that was pretty awesome. Talk about a helluva an opportunity.

I know it's faux paux in the blogging world to admit this, but I love getting free stuff. I do. I get jollies every time I get a new package in the mail of something to review. The thrill hasn't warn off for me and I hope it never does. I know some readers get mad when bloggers start to "sell out" but when you get a chance to make money off of doing something that you put hours into every day, you have to take that chance. In all honesty the whole "sponsored posts" topic is a tricky one for me to talk about because to a certain extent I see both sides. No one wants to read a blog that is all paid ads about someone else. I sure don't. But I like to think there's a happy medium between writing good content, and writing good content that you get paid to write. And maybe I'm just kidding myself here, I have no idea. I just know that when you start to see more than a few sponsored posts on my blog in a week cough cough I ask that you understand I'm not doing it because I hate you, or I hate blogging, it's simply that I am feeling broke as hell. Harlow's not a cheap mouth to feed.

And this post has officially turned into a ramble, which I'm kind of okay with because it's like a throwback to my early days of blogging. So on that note, thanks for five years of documenting my random life, Blog. It's been fun. Let's see how long we can keep this relationship going.

Happy Friday, thanks for stopping by.

32 comments:

telling it like it is, I love it, sometimes one feels like the are floating all alone in their little boat and then wham, some other loser swims up and makes us feel better. I want people to read my blog, i crave the attention and free stuff well damn if ya don't I am not sure what is wrong with ya. Keep going you have a great balance and I wanna go to fashion week too..... ( insert whiny voice here0

I hate when bloggers hate on other bloggers for doing a sponsored post once in a while. Who cares! Skip it if you don't want to read it. Every day is rage inducing, sure, but once in a while? Let the people live!

My photo shoots take about 4 hours to do then 2 to 4 hours of editing them. It's really fun though, never tired of blogging! I don't understand how people can hate blogging..blogging opens another world that is just too exciting to be hating it. If they hate it they should go find another hobby or something and forget blogging ahha. :) Happy 5 years to the blog!

Right now I'm still trying to figure out where I'm going, so it is fascinating to see the backstory for other people's blogs. I really like your description of photo shoots, and how your blog got started. Not everyone's inspired with a magical sense of purpose!

i feel the same way about photo shoots. mine last 80 seconds and then I feel so awkward that I might actually die. your blog is one of my favorites ever. I started reading it when I first started blogging and it felt like I was reading a friend. Albeit a very funny and interesting friend. you say what everyone is thinking (or wished they said) in a captivating way. anyway, keep doing you and you can keep getting spin toothbrushes and maybe even a free pair of socks.

Congrats on five years of blogging! It's always refreshing to know that you just tell it like it is and I love hearing about how people began their blog. I would never have the patience to do a photoshoot for my blog. I would love to have more fashion posts, but I just look super awkward in photos and the longer I'm smiling, the more my smile begins to fade and my teeth begin to clench and then all of a sudden I look like a woman trying to smile while giving birth. It's not pretty.

Congratulations on five years of blogging! That's impressive. I don’t get it when people complain about things they like doing, it makes no sense to me. I mean, if you hated blogging, you wouldn’t do it, right? And finally, yup, that is pretty much exactly how my shoots go. We stop and pretend to be going over the photos when people walk by because I am insanely embarrassed, JD tells me I’m making weird faces every two seconds, which is both accurate and appreciated, and then I get frustrated and we go back inside.

Five years ... that's impressive! I'm a new reader and a newish blogger, but I'd still like to think that I kind of get how your blog has been such a consistent source of enjoyment for you - I feel the same way! Keep it up:)

wow 5 years is awesome! congrats and so happy to hear you still love it! also...i so appreciate that you do take advantage of earning something from blogging because i'm slowly starting to think of it more of a business and not just a hobby but still keeping myself in it. well done!

Congragts! I love reading your posts, they're so sincere, and not to mention funny! I'm a fairly new blogger and my reason for starting my blog are similar to yours - bordem. But I've come to love it so much.

Yay I loved this! Lately, a few bloggers have written posts about blogging, why they do it, why they hate it, why they love it and so on. From what I read, it sounds like you actually like blogging and like your blog which is refreshing because I have noticed lately some bloggers are "checked out" or even saying on their blog they don't like it. Anyways, thanks for writing a kick ass blog and keeping it interesting, all.the.time. I personally think it is awesome to make money from your blog, all the more power to you (I wish my blog was at that stage).

I so needed to read this!! Gives me hope! because like you said spending hours a day on your blog you do start to feel broke! But hey I'd take a spin brush and be thrilled!! You kill it Tay. Keep doing your thing! Oxox, Amanda

Thanks for the honest and fun article about your 5 years of blogging experience. Yep, consistency is the key and honestly I'm pretty impressed that you've been consistent for so many years. I really enjoyed reading it and wish you to have many more years of successful blogging to come!

Happy 5 years!! I'm not even 6 months in and it's safe to say I'm in love. Although it can be tiring, it's always here and it's definitely a hobby (guess I'm lame too). You are one of the bloggers that made me think "I can do this" and put myself out there in the blogging world...so thank you!

Hello! I came across your blog reading the "5 ways to increase your blog traffic" post. I love your writing! Very funny :)I had 2 questions: 1) you suggest creating a blog button and pimp it out.... but how do you pimp it out? And to whom? And 2) if you offer to write guest posts, who do you offer to?